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COMBINED PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORT SAVES DROWNING VICTIM

TAYLOR, MICHIGAN – The combined efforts of the Taylor Police Department, Taylor Fire Department, Michigan State Police and Concord EMS resulted in the successful resuscitation of a 5-year-old resident of Wyandotte, Michigan.

The young boy and his family were enjoying a private party awaiting the Meijer Taylor Summer Festival fireworks on Friday night. The party was being held in a neighborhood near Heritage Park, the site of the festival. The father of the boy unfortunately found his son at the bottom of the swimming pool at the residence, quickly pulled the child from the pool and began rescue breathing. A person at the party called the 911 emergency phone number and Taylor police officers in the subdivision were dispatched to the residence. Upon arrival at the residence, Officer Ted Michowski of the Taylor Police Department began transport of the victim and his father to the location where the Taylor Fire Department vehicles were expected. Response from the Fire Department rescue and engine was hampered by the number of vehicles on the street and the officer made the timely decision to transport the victim and his father to the main festival first aid station in Heritage Park.

Upon arrival at the festival first aid station, the child was passed to paramedic responders from the Taylor Fire Department. Paramedic Joe Nelson and Paramedic Jim Hubbard received the child, who was flaccid, pale and unresponsive. Immediate ventilatory assistance and chest compressions were initiated. The child was conveyed through the crowd utilizing an ATV, which had been brought to the park because of mechanical issues with the special events golf cart ambulance. The ATV was the personal property of Paramedic Nelson, who donated it for the evening.

The child was successfully transferred to a waiting Concord EMS Ambulance that was stationed near the Taylor Community Library in Heritage Park. Paramedics Greg Fyffe and Frank Gilbert assumed care of the patient, who had vomited and was now breathing and showing some purposeful movement. Paramedics Fyffe and Gilbert transported the child to Oakwood Dearborn Medical Center, monitoring the airway, cardiac function and level of consciousness of the patient. The patient was admitted to the hospital and treated. The patient was released on July 9, 2006, and is now reunited with his family.

The Taylor Fire Department provides advanced life Support and transport service to those who live, work and visit the City of Taylor.